Okay, Not the Last Rites – It’s The Spring Time Movie Quiz

Periodically, blogger Dennis Cozzalio (he of the wonderfully titled Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule site and among the best regarded film blogs out there) opens up to welcome responses from his followers. His in-depth film knowledge and the thoughtful essays he gladly shares online attract many. The L.A.-stationed Mr. Cozzalio remains one of my long-time reads with regards to the moving picture. But beyond that, his semi-regular movie quizzes remain the stuff of legend. This week, he has come up with yet another of his cinematically off-the-wall but thoroughly inspired film exams for the allergy-laden season of Spring.

Psst… these are really interview questions for those who choose to take part.

Whether you are interested in avant-garde cinema (haughty, subtitled, or otherwise) or grindhouse fare (the delightfully smutty variety your mother warned you about), anyone interested in participating is welcome to do so. You can paste the questions and craft your answers into Google’s temperamental Blogger comment system in his post. Been there, done that (thank you very much). Or, do as I’ve learned to do years ago: post your answers on your own blog (if you have one) and leave a comment on Dennis’ post with a link back to your answers. So, on to the subject at hand:

Tough choice as I wasn’t scarred by those cloistered ones growing up (as my wife was in her upbringing). So it’s a subject that I don’t viscerally react to like those with ruler-disfigured knuckles and guilt-panged souls (you won’t see Doubt listed here, therefore). I like the cheery variety of those in black & white habits (or those in films like Nude Nuns With Big Guns, see lead image above). Let’s see… I could choose the melodious ones from The Sound of Music (I can hear the groans emanating from my family as I write that). Okay, I’ll go with Ralph Nelson’s Lilies of the Field from 1963.

The Mark of Zorro on my grandmother’s black & white TV in her living room (and now you know why I answered the previous question as I did).

8) What moment in a movie that is not a horror movie made you want to bolt from the theater screaming?

It was during the penultimate reel of the George Steven’s biblical epic, The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) — why that occurred was detailed in this post a couple of years back on the old blog.

9) Richard Widmark or Robert Mitchum?

This is a hard one. Both actors, as movie heroes or villains, in film noir or in westerns, were so damn good at their craft. I’ll go with Robert Mitchum in this case because I just re-watched his stellar work in Night of the Hunter (plus, he was mentioned so prominently in L.A. Confidential, one of my annual viewings).

Robert Mitchum as Rev. Harry Powell in NIGHT OF THE HUNTER

10) Best movie Jesus

I’ll continue the contemporaneous mood I have going here by selecting the figure from William Wyler’s 1959 version of Ben-Hur. (recently saw this on the big screen for the American Cinematheque’s Easter/Passover showing at the Egyptian Theatre). He has no dialogue and his face is never shown, but this character bears heavily in the film.

11) Silliest straight horror film that you’re still fond of

That would be this one:

12) Emily Blunt or Sally Gray?

Emily Blunt.

13) Favorite cinematic Biblical spectacular

Already covered it:

14) Favorite cinematic moment of unintentional humor

Just about any of the scenes with Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel talking to each other in The Happening.

15) Michael Fassbender or David Farrar?

I’ll say David Farrar only because, given the amount of publicity and talk surrounding Michael Fassbender of late by everybody and their mother, I’m really reaching a saturation point with that talented actor.

16) Most effective faith-affirming movie

17) Movie that makes the best case for agnosticism

Many would say the same movie I just answered for the previous question.

18) Favorite song and/or dance sequence from a musical

That would be the climatic sequence from Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz (1979).

Wow, Leo. Well done. I am in the process of writing my own answers to this quiz and I am astonished how many of our answers are the same. I’m going to have to rethink a few of them so it doesn’t seem like I’m plagiarizing you. 🙂

Oh I gotta check out The Mark of Zorro w/ Tyrone Power. Looks like fun! For #10, that’s my #2 favorite, VERY powerful without any dialog, my #1 is James Caviezel. And you know I love your answer for #26 😀

Oh, yes. The Mark of Zorro w/ Tyrone Power is a swashbuckling blast of a classic. Basil Rathbone was a very accomplished swordsman in real life and his duel with Power as Zorro is one of the best. I’d love to see the rest of your answers to this movie quiz (hint, hint ;-)). Many thanks, Ruth.

Great post, Michael, and a really fascinating batch of answers here. I have always wanted to do one of these quizzes, but there are always several questions I cannot adequately answer. Ah well, maybe next time! 🙂

Thanks, Eric. Think about giving this one a good. Usually, those who participate only answer the questions they’re familiar or wish to answer. It’ entirely in the responders realm and comfort on what they chose to answer. I’d certainly be one who find your answers interesting.

What a fun list of questions and answers. I don’t know enough to answer some of the questions myself, but it was fun reading yours! very nice! Love the love you have for Ben Hur! oh, and Tremors too! 🙂

Great answers, Kevin! I’ve forwarded them to SLIFR, btw. We share an appreciation of so many films. Especially for The Thing from Another World, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, and The Ninth Configuration! Outstanding. Many thanks, my friend.